Meizu 16 Plus, Meizu 16 renders appear online before official launch

Meizu is set to introduce new smartphones in the coming weeks and months. There’s the Meizu X8 that was pictured recently with a notch design plus a mysterious Meizu Android Go phone that should be out before the end of the year. There’s that Meizu 16 Plus whose front panel recently leaked but we’re curious about the schedule because the Meizu 15, Meizu 15 Plus, and the Meizu 15 Lite were launched officially only last April. It may be too early for the Chinese OEM to release a follow-up.

The Meizu 16 and Meizu 16 Plus have already reached TENAA. The Chinese certification means the devices may be announced soon in China. Rumor has it that an August 8 launch will happen. That’s interesting because Samsung will be having an Unpacked event the day after on August 9.

The Meizu 16 Plus and Meizu 16 have been rendered already. Images show us the absence of notch on the Meizu 16 but the bezels on the sides are really thin. There is no fingerprint reader on the rear or a home button at the front. We’re guessing an in-display fingerprint perhaps? It seems impossible but the Meizu 16 Plus is rumored to have such. If not, a reader could be found on one side of the device.

When it comes to specs, the entry-level Meizu 16 will sport a Snapdragon 710 chipset, 2950mAh battery, and dual camera system. Dimensions will be 150.5 x 73.5 x 7.2mm. Meanwhile, the bigger Meizu 16 Plus will run on a Snapdragon 845 processor and a 3570 mAh battery with 160.4 x 78.2 x 7.3mm dimensions.

The images on TENAA aren’t as clear but here are the official Meizu 16 renders as shared by the OEM’s VP on Weibo:

So there’s still no fingerprint scanner. We’re looking forward to the in-display fingerprint reader, as well as, metal frame and the curve. The Meizu 16 may only be a mid-range device while the Meizu 16 Plus will be in the premium flagship category although we can still expect an affordable pricing. Both phones will not implement any notch. So yes, NO NOTCH.

We’re very much interested to know why Meizu decided not to implement a notch design. It’s unusual for a Chinese OEM in the mid-range category not to follow other brands. A notch isn’t really a necessity but others are already implementing it. But then again, there are bigger companies not jumping into the bandwagon such as Samsung and Sony. We believe the notch is used as a transition to a full bezel-less design but maybe Meizu has something better planned.

The rumored August launch is only two weeks from today so let’s wait and see. Until then, expect more leaks, teasers, and speculations to roll out.